Definition

Morning sickness is nausea that occurs during pregnancy. The name is a misnomer, however, since morning sickness can strike at any time of the day or night.

Morning sickness affects a large proportion of pregnant women. It is most common during the first trimester, but for some women morning sickness lingers throughout pregnancy. Treatment isn't usually needed — although various home remedies, such as snacking throughout the day and sipping ginger ale, often help relieve nausea.

Rarely, morning sickness is so severe that it's classified as hyperemesis gravidarum. This type of morning sickness may require hospitalization and treatment with intravenous (IV) fluids and medications.

Maltepe C, et al. The management of nausea and vomiting of pregnancy and hyperemesis gravidarum — a 2013 update. Journal of Population Therapeutics and Clinical Pharmacology. 2013;20:e184.

Slaughter SR, et al. FDA approval of doxylamine-pyridoxine therapy for use in pregnancy. New England Journal of Medicine. 2014;370:1081.

Czeizel AE, et al. The effect of periconceptional multivitamin-mineral supplementation on vertigo, nausea and vomiting in the first trimester of pregnancy. Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics. 1992;251:181.

Emelianova S, et al. Prevalence and severity of nausea and vomiting of pregnancy and effect of vitamin supplementation. Clinical and Investigative Medicine. 1999;22:106.

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